I just finished my #SchulichExchange in Mannheim, Germany and learned quite a bit. Below is some unsolicited advice which I urge others to use when they are on their semester abroad, or even just travelling on their own.

1. climate change is real

During my time abroad I had the honour to visit some of the most beautiful and well-preserved landscapes of nature. These areas around the world are in extreme danger, alongside the wildlife found within, due to the rising of the Earth’s temperature. This serves as a constant reminder that if we do not make changes to our industries, governments or lifestyles, we will soon destroy the world, including these beautiful pockets of nature.

2. invest in experiences

Money comes and goes. Don’t cheap out on an experience you’ve wanted forever or trying that Michelin star meal and ball out for a minute- you don’t know when you’ll be back to this random beach club on an island in the Adriatic coast, so you better live your best life right now & get that bucket of margarita and hop on a boat. Save on things that you could forgo & try to make the most of the experience you are having. Everyone has a different relationship with money & this might be a good opportunity & perhaps your first time living on your own so you can choose how you spend your cash and which investments to make. Investing in experiences is well worth it.

3. go in with no expectations

Expectations are just a setup for future disappointment. There’s no way you can control the weather, or the classes you end up with, or how your friends feel and act. The best thing is to only have expectations of yourself and it’ll be smooth sailing. Don’t take anything too seriously, have an open mind and you’ll have a more fruitful experience.

4. work on a project while you’re there

It’s easy to get stuck in a trance of activities while on exchange. Wake up, class, study, pre-game, bar, club, get kicked out of the club, doner, sleepover, hangover, pack for weekend trip, airport, airport sweat, find your hostel, more sweat, see some sites, drink, party, come home, sweat more, sleep, wake up & time for class again.

Something that I found which grounded me and took me out of “backpacker zone” and into a more mentally comfortable routine was to work on a project on the side of all these other experiences. I made a documentary while I was in Mannheim, which was incredibly rewarding and cool and different and will be a lasting souvenir for myself (& something I can leave behind in Mannheim!)

Do something creative or learn a new hobby or skill. Might help with a feeling of aimlessness.

5. put down your phone

Everyone always gives this advice because its useful and important. Take some photos and then put your phone away, this will help you take in the experience & improve your memory of more than what the place looked like, but rather how it smelled, sounded like, made you feel and the entire environment – which is a better memento than just a photo.

6. write stuff down

I didn’t do this as often as I should & I regret it. Sarah has a list of all the funny things that happened and jokes we told and whenever she reads me things for it I remember how lucky and privileged I am to have the experiences that I did, have met the amazing and funny people in this time and share a happy memory.

7. physical & mental well-being should be a top priority

Take some time to take care of yourself. I have to treat my body like an old person, so I always make sure to pay my respects to my mental and physical well-being, as I know that I’m here for a long stretch. Especially when you are living on your own, you can’t always just take a couple of days off because nobody is going to make sure you’ve eaten, or have clean clothes, or buy you toilet paper. Doing things to relax and calm you mentally and physically are important because you are the only person who is responsible for yourself.

8. travel with purpose.

When asked what they’d like to do in the future, a lot of young people that I met would answer that all they’d like to do is travel, travel and travel more. In my opinion, this is meaningless, and, not to be curt, but selfish. Travelling (like getting an education) is selfish in the sense that you are doing these things or seeing new places for yourself and your own experience. What you do with those learnings, however, is what makes travelling so meaningful. I’ve spent a long time thinking about this and realized that: I travel to broaden my horizons, to meet new people, see new things, and most of all learn about the world around me and about myself. I’d like to take what I’ve learned and apply it to my own life and my practices. My ultimate goal is to make some meaningful contribution to the world, and I’d like to use my learnings to help me get there. In conclusion, travelling with a purpose (whether you know that now or not) is important.

Ok that’s it. I learned a lot and would hope to integrate more similar and different experiences like such for the rest of my life.